By Dinesh Nath

As the part of tradition, we have been celebrating different festivals, following different rituals and sometime our intellectual mind doesn't agree following these age old traditions and ask what is the meaning behind all this and at that time the only what can quench our intellectual thirst is somebody wise de-codify the deep meaning behind these rituals and restore the faith. The following talk by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, spiritual Master from India whom millions of people around the world revere as Guru, has helped  to understand the meaning the traditions of navaratri and elaborate pooja performed during these nine days. I hope you also enjoy this. :-) DEVI MAHATMYAM ‘The Glory of Divine Mother’  A portion of the Markendeya Purana is called Chandi or Devi Mahatmya. It is also called Sri Durga Saptasati, which means 700 verses to Sri Durga. These sacred verses are recited during Navaratri, Durga Puja and chanted during the Chandi Homa. It extols the...

Hindus attach paramount importance to spiritual gurus. Gurus are often equated with God and always regarded as a link between the individual and the Immortal. Just as the moon shines by reflecting the light of the sun, and glorifies it, all disciples can dazzle like the moon by gaining from their Gurus. What is Guru Purnima? The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashad (July-August) is observed as the auspicious day of Guru Purnima, a day sacred to the memory of the great sage Vyasa. All Hindus are indebted to this ancient saint who edited the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata. Vyasa even taught Dattatreya, who is regarded as the Guru of Gurus. Significance of Guru Purnima On this day, all spiritual aspirants and devotees worship Vyasa in honor of his divine personage and all disciples perform a 'puja' of their respective spiritual preceptor or 'Gurudevs'. This day is of deep significance to the farmers, for it her...

Wish you all very happy and prosperous Diwali

Navaratri is the festival of nine nights. Just as there is one night devoted to Shiva called Shivaratri, there are nine nights dedicated to Shakti (Divine energy) and this is called Navaratri . Navaratri at the Bangalore Ashram is extremely special as it is believed that the ashram land is where the Devi rested after killing the demon Mahishasura. During Navaratri, the Art of Living family worldwide is in one spirit and has one sankalpa (the power that is born of resolve). The first three days of Navaratri are committed to honouring Durga, the embodiment of valour and self-confidence. The next three days are committed to Lakshmi, the embodiment of wealth. The last three days are dedicated to Saraswati, the embodiment of knowledge. Thus the significance of Navaratri is linked to one’s spiritual growth. Knowledge and wisdom, skills and virtuous qualities, will be bestowed upon one, after one rids oneself of impurities. Fasting and following a disciplined routine during these days are ...

When food is readily available skipping food once in a while sounds attractive. It is not too difficult to give up food. The truth is, for those who have plenty to eat, it is easy to go without food for a day or two. That's why in an affluent society the cults of dieting and fasting become popular. For example, in America the idea of dieting has become very popular. To have an attractive figure becomes more important than food. An extreme form of this can become an illness. In extreme forms this can be pathological and lead to anorexia nervosa. When we talk of fasting as a spiritual practice, we are not talking about this kind of fasting. That is why we have called it upavaas, which literally means living close to oneself. Normally, one who goes on a fast keeps repeating twenty-four hours a day that he is hungry, that he has not eaten any food that day. His mind continues to fantasize about the food he will eat the next day and plans for it. Then it is merely abstaining from food. ...